


the end of all things

by defiantlyneurotic



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Kallura Month 2018, New Beginnings, i swear to god this is not an angsty fic, they're cute and my heart is v full
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 10:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16173035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defiantlyneurotic/pseuds/defiantlyneurotic
Summary: Suddenly, as if sensing his gaze fixated on her, Allura turns her head and locks eyes with Keith. He feels his face flush, embarrassed to have been caught staring so openly, with no way to pretend he wasn’t. He can’t find it in himself to look away though. Her eyes, which are always so bright and expressive, unable to hide anything, seem unusually dull, lacking their usual sparkle. The sight pains him. He can’t remember the last time he felt this disconnected from her.





	the end of all things

**Author's Note:**

> one day, i will write from allura's pov. one day.
> 
> i forgot to post this here yesterday so. enjoy!

It’s late. His eyelids have become heavy, weighed down by lack of sleep.  It takes great effort to keep them open as he wants nothing more than to be pulled into the land of dreams. Night is slowly transforming into day as the sun begins to rise, creeping along the horizon. Keith watches, fascinated, as the shadows in the room shrink back against the walls, shying away from the warm, golden light the floor has suddenly become bathed in. He’d left his phone in his room, has no way of knowing for sure what time it is, but if he had to guess he would say it was around six in the morning. The realization that he has been up for more than 24 hours only enhances his exhaustion.

Although no one seems to notice that they have all been up for far too long aside from Shiro and himself.

Shiro looks as tired as Keith feels, but the younger boy know that their exhaustion stems from different sources. Immediately he is concerned for his best friend, the knowledge of how difficult these past few weeks-  _no_ ,  _years_  -have been for him hits Keith hard. Shiro has shouldered too many burdens by himself. He has had enough pain inflicted upon him to last a lifetime. He has been hurt too often and left with too little time to heal. But as Keith studies his mentor, eyes searching his face, he’s able to relax. Shiro wears a small, content smile, and his eyes are soft and fond as he regards the younger paladins of the group. Instinctively, Keith knows he is going to be okay.

Satisfied, he moves on, gaze following Shiro’s to focus on the others.

Hunk sits on the floor, legs stretched out in front of him as he slouches back against the wall. Pidge and Lance are seated on either side of him. The three of them are lost in their own little world, as they so often are, loud and unabashed as their voices and laughter bounce off the walls. Nothing has changed between them, they are the same as they always have been; the best of friends simply enjoying one another’s company, just as they had done on so many occasions prior. Keith doesn’t completely understand why, but he knows he finds that fact to be oddly comforting.

After another minute or two, his eyes finally come to rest on Allura.

She sits in a chair that’s tucked into the corner of the room, separate from everyone else. Her chin rests in the palm of her hand and her head is angled toward the window where her attention is focused. Her hair is loose, falling around her shoulders, obstructing his view of her face. He can tell, though, that she is lost in thought.

She’d been oddly quiet the entire afternoon, but Keith found that that could easily be explained away. The conversation had been mostly dominated by him bickering with Lance, Pidge and Hunk who had gone off on more science related tangents than Keith could count, and Shiro who couldn’t let a second go by without interjecting with some dry, sarcastic remark he must have found hilarious. Allura had smiled widely and laughed loudly at all the appropriate moments. She joined them in ridiculous debates over who the better pets were, defending the space mice vehemently with Hunk.

But if Keith thinks about it, there had been plenty of opportunity for Allura to jump in the conversation without being prompted. Her smile had seemed forced, too large for her face with too many teeth on display. Her laughter was strained, lacking genuine joy. Keith can’t help but feel she is distancing herself from the team, hiding something that has so obviously been troubling her these past couple of days.

There never seems to be any time for Keith to speak with Allura, and there is never a good moment to bring it up. However this holds true for all of them. This is the first time they’ve all been in the same room together in weeks. In the aftermath of their fight against Sendak there was too much to be done. There was never any time to catch one’s breath after their recovery, constantly being pulled in different directions, away from each other.

Suddenly, as if sensing his gaze fixated on her, Allura turns her head and locks eyes with Keith. He feels his face flush, embarrassed to have been caught staring so openly, with no way to pretend he wasn’t. He can’t find it in himself to look away though. Her expression is blank, features carefully controlled as she doesn’t allow her emotions to betray her. Keith can’t get a read on her, not like this, and it kills him to know he can’t figure out what she’s thinking. Her eyes, which are always so bright and expressive, unable to hide anything, seem unusually dull, lacking their usual sparkle. The sight pains him. He can’t remember the last time he felt this disconnected from her.

They maintain eye contact for another thirty seconds or so before she lowers her gaze. Her brows furrow and her lips form a frown, as if an unpleasant thought has just crossed her mind. She turns her head away, and Keith can’t quite put a name to the sharp, painful feeling in his chest.

“Allura!” Lance exclaims suddenly, eyes bright and smile wide. “You need to back me up here! Tell Hunk and Pidge that-.”

Allura stands up, cutting Lance off before he’s able to finish. “I’m leaving.”

Everyone’s attention shifts to her. The way she says it, there is finality in her tone, and because of that Keith knows she doesn’t mean she’s excusing herself to go back to her room.

Everyone has fallen silent, and the room has become devoid of all laughter and conversation. It appears that they have all caught on to the implied meaning as well. There is sudden tension that didn’t exist five seconds ago. The happy, carefree mood is gone all too soon, replaced by a much more somber atmosphere.

It’s like someone has dumped a bucket of ice over his head. Keith is no longer tired, and he finds that sleep is now the furthest thing from his mind.

Lance shocks no one when he is the first to speak.

“Leaving?” he splutters disbelievingly. “What do you mean you’re leaving?”

“I mean I’m leaving earth,” she clarifies, meeting his gaze steadily. Her eyes are steely, hardened by resolve. “And I don’t think I’ll be returning.”

Her voice is firm and unwavering. It’s obvious how much thought she has put into this decision, she has put her mind to it, and is determined to see it through. Allura was never one to be easily swayed. This is not a spur of the moment thing, and it’s abundantly clear to Keith that she doesn’t plan on changing her mind. Lance doesn’t seem to realize this.  

“You can’t be serious,” he says, struggling to keep his emotions at bay. Hunk reaches out to place a hand on his arm, but Lance shrugs him off as he scrambles to his feet. “Tell me you’re joking. Allura-.”

“Lance. Stop.”

Shiro is fully awake now and he wastes no time in moving to stand beside Lance. The younger boy looks ready to protest, hurt flashing in his eyes as he whips his head around to face Shiro. He seems to think better of it though. His shoulders slump forward and his mouth falls closed, and Keith is not sure if he has ever seen Lance look this defeated. Allura’s lips are pressed into a thin line as she regards him carefully but he refuses to lift his head and look at her.

Keith is the next one to speak, voice low and quiet, tentative as he asks his question. “Is this what’s been bothering you these past couple of days?”

Allura’s attention snaps to him. Her mouth drops open, forming a little ‘o’ shape, and her eyes are wide in surprise. “You noticed?”

_‘Of course,’_  Keith wants to tell her, _‘I notice everything about you.’_  It’s the truth, one he’s certainly not ashamed of. But he’s certain he doesn’t want to admit such a thing in a room full of all their friends, and not when the situation is… well, _this._ Instead he settles for a simple nod followed by a sheepish “yeah”.

Allura blinks as if she finds the news baffling. Her head is tilted to side cutely as she studies him. His face feels hot, and he can’t remember ever blushing this much around her before. Seconds feel like hours, time moving at a painstakingly slow pace as Allura stares at him. All eyes in the room flick curiously between the two but Keith pretends not to notice. Finally, as if she’s decided that she’s tortured him enough, she clears her throat and begins to speak.

“Well you’re partially correct Keith. I thought about it a long time, and after a while, it seemed kind of obvious and the choice became easier for me to make. The Altean colony is still out there, along with Zarkon’s witch Haggar. We have no idea what’s happened with the coalition and what’s become of the Galra empire also remains a mystery to us. We know what Matt has told us but it just doesn’t seem right; staying here when I know I should be out there.

“What was giving me the most trouble, actually, was figuring out how to tell all of you.”

There is a pregnant pause immediately following her confession. Her gaze passes over all of them, gauging their reactions, and Keith swears her eyes linger on him the longest. The situation strikes him as oddly familiar, and a second later when Pidge and Hunk rush to Allura’s side to embrace her, Keith realizes why. It’s like he’s been struck by déjà vu, the moment is eerily reminiscent of when he told the team he was leaving to join the Blade of Marmora. It’s like he’s reliving his own memory, watching it play out before him with someone else cast in the lead role.

But there is something else- something she said that has Keith worried. It must have lingered on Pidge’s mind as well because she pulls away from her hug with Allura to look at the older girl, expression concerned.

“Earlier you said you might no be coming back.” Tears glisten in tawny eyes. “Did you… Did you mean that?”

Allura opens her mouth before closing it, sinking her teeth gently into her lower lip. She talks slowly, choosing her next words carefully, as if she is hesitant to speak the truth even though they have all already figured out what it is. “I’m… not sure if I’m being honest with you. I guess it all depends on how dire the situation is out there but… I don’t think I’ll be stopping by for a visit anytime soon.”

Her words seem to be the final straw for Lance, who is nothing more than a blur as he makes his way to the door. He knocks Keith’s shoulder in his haste to get out, and caught off guard, Keith stumbles back. Hunk and Pidge have the good sense to back away before he bumps into Allura. His heel comes down hard on her foot. She yelps loudly in his ear as she places her hands on his shoulders in what Keith guesses to be an attempt to steady him.

“Sorry,” he murmurs, stepping away from the princess. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” She sounds breathless as she answers him, and Keith doesn’t understand the reason why. “And yourself?” She’s not looking at him as she asks, eyes trained on the door Lance has just fled through. It feels like his heart sinks to the bottom of his stomach as the next words leave her mouth. “I should probably go after him.”

“Of course,” Shiro nods, ever the understanding elder. “We can continue this discussion later, in a more appropriate setting.”

“Yes,” Allura says slowly. Her eyes find his and he’s held captive in her gaze. “We’ll talk later.” It’s a promise.

* * *

Later comes sooner than Keith had anticipated. Following Allura’s deliverance of her unexpected news and Lance’s dramatic exit, the mood was dampened and as a result, everyone slowly dispersed. Keith has returned to his own room where he had proceeded to fall asleep just as soon as his head made contact with the pillows. And that was how Allura found him.

“I can leave,” she tells him.

“It’s fine,” Keith replies. He hastily pulls a shirt over his head and runs his hand through his hair, trying to rid it of any knots or tangles. Allura does a good job of avoiding looking in his direction, a bright blush prominent against her cheeks. From his spot at the foot of Keith’s bed, Kosmo’s eyes flick lazily between the two as if he finds the whole situation amusing.

Allura had knocked first, calling out his name when he hadn’t answered. Understandably concerned as it was the middle of the evening and he wasn’t replying, she had pushed open the door and was met with the sight of a very much asleep and very much shirtless Keith. Flustered, she had moved to back out of the room, but Kosmo had already seen her, and had taken it upon himself to pounce on Keith and wake him.

“I’m decent,” Keith announces after he’s certain his hair doesn’t resemble a rat’s nest. He scoots to end of his bed.

Allura still doesn’t look at him. “Are you  _sure_?”

Keith fights off the urge to chuckle. “Yes, Allura, I’m sure.”

“Okay,” she says. She lifts her eyes to look at him, still blushing heavily, and she makes no attempt to move from her spot in the doorway.

“Um,” Keith clears his throat, trying to stave off the awkwardness that has settled upon them. He pats the spot next to him on the bed. “Do you wanna sit?”

“Oh,” Allura breathes softly, and crosses the room. She sits next to him, leaving a respectable amount of distance between them. She’s perched herself on the very edge of the bed, leaning forward slightly, as if she’s getting ready to take off at a moments notice.

“So…” Keith says dumbly.

“So…” Allura echoes, her fingers twisting in his sheets.

“Did you talk to Lance?” he asks.

“Mhmm,” she hums in affirmation, but offers nothing more, and because this is none of his business and the matter doesn’t concern him, Keith doesn’t pry.

They lapse into silence for a couple minutes before Allura speaks again.

“Lance he… He doesn’t get it. He keeps asking me questions he can’t understand the answers to. Earth is his home, not mine. He belongs here and I don’t. This isn’t where I want to live, not where I want to spend the rest of my life. Earth is so strange, so foreign, so  _alien._  I know my place in the universe isn’t here, and Lance he… He can’t seem to understand that.”

Keith is reluctant to ask his next question, somewhat fearful of the answer, but needs to know. “Allura, are you and Lance…” he trails off, unsure how to phrase it.

He doesn’t need to finish though, because Allura seems to know exactly what he is getting at. “No. I mean, I thought… well, I don’t know what I thought but the answer is no.”

“Oh,” Keith says, and there’s a funny feeling in his chest, and it’s like an immense weight has been lifted from his shoulder. And then he surprises himself with the words that leave his mouth. “Take me with you.”

“W-what?”

“I want to go with you,” he repeats himself, straightening his back.

“Keith I-.” Allura’s eyes are wide. She wasn’t expecting this; she’s been caught off guard, and she doesn’t know what to say. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking me to do anything, Allura. I want to,” he tells her, voice hard. “What you said earlier, about Earth being Lance’s home and not yours- I feel the same way. I belong out there.”  _With you._  “I want to help you find the Altean colony. I want to help you restore peace to the universe. I want to help you.” _I want to be there for you, always._

“You mean that?” Allura’s eyes search his face.

“I mean it,” Keith nods.

Allura’s eyes have regained their sparkle, an emotion Keith can’t name shimmering in her ocean irides. He reaches out, taking her hand in his.

This is the end, he can’t help but think. The end of everything they’ve ever known. The end of everything they ever were.

But a brilliant smile makes its way to her lips that seems to light up her entire being, and Keith finds that he no longer cares.

And as she leans in closer, close enough so that he can feel the soft skin of her cheek and the fluttering of her lashes against his face, he swears that his heart seizes in his chest. He knows that this is undoubtedly the start of their future together; a new beginning, and he couldn’t be happier.

**Author's Note:**

> leave a comment and let me know what you think!


End file.
